Schefflera plant named ‘OSV002’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Schefflera plant having variegated yellow-green and green colored leaflets and that is tall in overall height.

Botanical classification: Schefflera arboricola.

Varietal denomination: ‘OSV002’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Schefflera plant having the varietal name of ‘OSV002’. The new variety was discovered in 2015 in la Guacima, Costa Rica with the purposes of providing Schefflera plants with better color, greater stability, and better growing characteristics. The new variety was identified in a cultivated production field as a naturally occurring mutation of Schefflera variety named ‘Gold Capella’ (unpatented). The new variety exhibits similar growth characteristics to ‘Gold Capella’ and variegated green and yellow-green colored leaflets like ‘Gold Capella’, but the leaflet variegation of ‘OSV002’ is more stable, of higher contrast, and embodies a larger leaflet portion than that of ‘Gold Capella’. Asexual reproductions of the new variety by stem and tip cuttings first occurred in 2015 in Sint-Oedenrode, Netherlands. ‘OSV002’ has been trial and field tested and has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics and remain true to type through successive propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

When ‘OSV002’ is compared to Schefflera plant named ‘OSV001’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 16/873,303), the varieties differ in leaflet color (‘OSV002’ has variegated yellow-green and green colored leaflets and ‘OSV001’ has solid green colored leaflets), overall height (‘OSV002’ is taller than ‘OSV001’), and number of leaves (‘OSV002’ has more leaves than ‘OSV001’).

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographic drawings taken at approximately 24 months of age illustrate the new variety, with the colors being as nearly true as is possible with color illustrations of this type:

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the new variety; and

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of the foliage of the new variety.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following detailed description sets forth the characteristics of the new variety at approximately 24 months of age. The data which defines these characteristics was collected under natural light in August of 2020 in Sint-Oedenrode, Netherlands. Plants of the new variety were grown in 15.0 cm round pots in a conventional, cold-storage greenhouse in Sint-Oedenrode, Netherlands. Color references are primarily to The 2015 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London, 6^(th) Edition, except where general color terms are used.

PLANT

-   Type: Perennial and evergreen, suitable for potted plant production. -   Time to produce a finished plant from propagation: About 6 months at     20° C. -   Preferred container size: 8.5 cm or larger pots. -   Overall plant shape: Oblong to narrow oblong. -   Growth habit: Upright. -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plant): Average of 60.2     cm. -   Plant diameter: Average of 36.0 cm. -   Growth rate: Moderate. -   Plant vigor: Moderate to high. -   Branching habit: Main stem grows from the base with no lateral     branching. -   Basal branching: Present. -   Pinching required: No, but can improve branching. -   Specific disease/pest resistance: Nothing unusual noted to date. -   USDA plant hardiness zones: From Zone 10 to Zone 13. -   Heat/cold tolerance: Range not fully tested, but at least hardy from     +4° C. to 40° C. -   Rain tolerance: High. -   Wind tolerance: Moderate. -   Main stem:     -   -   Number.—Average of 1.         -   Length.—Average of 51.6 cm.         -   Diameter.—Average of 0.9 cm.         -   Internode length.—Average of 2.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Rounded.         -   Luster.—Matte.         -   Angle.—Average of 85° from horizontal.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Color.—Developing: Yellow-Green Group RHS 144B and 144A.             Mature: Yellow-Green Group RHS 154C to 154D and Yellow Group             RHS 4A to 4B. At internodes: Yellow-Green Group RHS 154C to             154D and Yellow Group RHS 4A to 4B.         -   Pubescence.—None present.         -   Lenticels.—Presence: On mature stems. Shape: Elliptic.             Length: Average of 1.0 mm. Diameter: Average of 0.5 mm.             Color: Greyed-Orange Group RHS 164A to 164B. -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate and compound.         -   Number per plant.—Average of 25.         -   Number of leaflets per leaf.—Average of 8-30% of the leaves             have 9.         -   Whole leaf.—Shape: Orbicular. Aspect: Slightly concave.             Length: 16.2 cm. Width: 16.1 cm.         -   Petiole.—Length: Average of 11.2 cm. Diameter: Average of             3.0 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous (both sides). Luster:             Slightly glossy (both sides). Strength: Strong. Upper side             color: Yellow-Green Group RHS 146B. Under side color:             Yellow-Green Group RHS 145A.         -   Leaflet.—Shape: Obovate. Length: Average of 7.2 cm. Width:             Average of 3.8 cm. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Obtuse to short             attenuate. Margin: Entire and slightly coarsely undulate.             Sheathing: None. Lobing: None. Venation: Pinnate. Upper             surface: Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Pubescence: None.             Rugosity: None. Luster: Very slightly glossy. Young color:             Yellow-Green Group RHS 144A; slightly marbled and darker in             between Yellow-Green Group RHS 144A and 146B. Mature color:             Yellow-Green Group RHS 151B to 151C; slightly to moderately             marbled Yellow-Green Group RHS 144A; irregularly margined             Green Group RHS NN137A and 139A. The lowest leaflets are             usually less yellow-green in color. Venation color:             Yellow-Green Group RHS 151C. Under surface: Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Pubescence: None. Rugosity: None. Luster: Matte.             Young color: Yellow-Green Group RHS 144C; slightly marbled             and darker Yellow-Green Group RHS 146B. Mature color:             Yellow-Green Group RHS 144B to 144C; irregularly margined             Green Group RHS 143C and Yellow-Green Group RHS 144B to             144C. Venation color: Yellow-Green Group RHS 150B.         -   Petiolule.—Length: Average of 1.6 cm. Diameter: Average of             1.75 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous (both sides). Luster:             Matte (upper side); very slightly glossy (under side).             Strength: Strong. Upper side color: Yellow-Green Group RHS             144A. Under side color: Yellow-Green Group RHS 145A to 145B. -   Stipules/tendrils/thorns/prickles/flowers/seeds/fruit: None     observed. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Schefflera plant, as is herein illustrated and described. 